Grouting plug



.Fune K, 135.

E. P. H'ALLIBURTON GROUTING PLUG 7 Filed June 2'7, 1932 '5 particula Patented June 18, 1935 1 UNlTED s'rm PA ENT oaoo'rme PLUG F Y Erle P. Halliburton, Los Angeles, Calif. I i v Application June 2'7, 1932, Serial No. 619,395 I 1 8 Claims. (01. 61-63 This invention relates to a new grouting plug for grouting cement, and has a particularvalue in the grouting behind cement linings of tunnels.

In the construction of tunnels underground, rly for carrying water when cement or is poured to line the tunnel walls, it shrinks away from the formation leaving an empty space back of the hardened cement and concrete and the earth or rockformation.

. concrete There are also various cavities in the formation which are not closed up in the tions of lining thetunnel with concrete, ment, and the concrete or cement lining,

tunnels possesses frequent cracks, cavities, etc.,

which shouldbe adequately sealed.

t is a major object of the present invention to provide a device by means of which cement or cementing material may be passed through in the tunnel lining-and enter the space between the tunnel lining and formation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a device asnwill permitthe pasof cement underconsiderable pressure into this space between the lining and formation of cement will be forced into all crevices, cavities and openings in the earth formation, filling all of the pores of the formationand making thesame a: solid imsage the tunnel to the endythat: the

pervious concrete body and a rigid part tunnel lining,

the cement. lining itself, thereby not only the space between-the lining and earth formation, but to adequately pack and fill all crevices formation and the cement lining itself.

Itis'a further object of the present invention to provide such a grouting plug or device readily maintain itself ment withthe lining such. a grouting plug as is readily placed in position, readily. operated to make firm'contact and seal the grouting holes, and readily disengage from the lining and withdraw from'the groutin holes at the finish of the operation.

.In grouting behind a tunnel lining,it may oc- -cur that it is desired to place the grouting cementing material under extremely high pressures, such as a thousand poundsper. square inch. The device which can automatically hold the cement under this high pressure, even after it has been disconnected from the pumps supplying the cement, andprovides present invention provides a an apparatus which can be so cleaned out this period. In the present inventiomaconstrucand to the like end that the cement will be forced, into all cracks, cavities, fissures in in position by an engage itself, and also to provide tion of grouting plug is provided which includes a valve so arranged as to automatically hold the cement under pressure after it has been placed in position while permitting the bore of the grouting plug to be cleaned out, so that it will not be cemented solidly with cement and may readily be removed after the completion of the cementing operations and be used for subsequent workin other grouting holes. The construction of the grouting plug 'is also so" arranged thatit'pro- 10; vides little opportunity for becoming frozen, or cemented in place. The grouting plug is'further so arranged that the outer shell may be readily removed from the grouting plugv in case ofunusual freezing of the plug in position to permit 5; the frozen end of the plug' toberaised for freeing thesame. I} we Various further objects andadvantages of the invention will be apparent from a description of the'preferred form,orexample, of the grouting plu embodyingthe invention. .Forthis purpose, there is hereafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing a preferred form or example of the grouting plug. t In the drawing,' I

The-single figure shows an elevation partially in longitudinal section of thegrouting plug. -Referring to the drawing; the grouting plug is shown as comprising an induction tube 2 of I 'suitablelength to pass through a bore. in'the shellor lining of thetunnel, and is providedat oneend with a-collar 3, by means of whichconnectionmay be made with the hoseleading to a source1of cementing material under pressure. At the opposite end of the induction tube -2 there is v provided a collar l which has a suitable flange 5 and ridges 6 for. firmly anchoring the end of a packer member l; The packer member I is preferably constructed of a stout rubbersleeve,

earth operaor, ceoi the abore of the as can form of packing means may be employed .The'collar i is internally threaded to a-spider ii, whichprovides also a valve seat 9 for the valve head Iii of a check valve. 'Ihischeck valve is; arranged so that the seat moves outwardly and 4 permits the valve to automatically open when fluid is to be forced through the induction tube, but the valve automatically is forced closed by the pressure of cementing-material beyond the plug whenthe passage of cement through the induction-tube is discontinued. f

An important feature of the invention is the forming of the collar 4, valve sea/n 9 and valve head Ill into one smooth curved surface irnclosed.

position The'curvatureof thissurface prefer+ although it is to be understood that any suitable 40 ably diminishes rapidly so as to provide no straight surface to which the hardened cement may adhere for freezing the apparatus in the grouted hole. As an additional precaution against freezing the grounted plug in position, in practice the collar 4, exposed surface of the spider 8 and valve head H) may be coated with a suitable material, such as paraffine or grease or wax mixtures.

The valve head In is connected to a valve stem ll passing through the spider 8 and provided with a valve spring I 2 which forms an addtional means for normally closing the valve head against the reverse passage of cementing materials through the induction tube 2. head I0 is also provided with an-annular groove hole and a ring of rubber packing M, which in the operation of forming the device is vulcanized in position and provides a means for insuring a tight seal between the valve head and seat when the valve is in the closed position, and comv pensates for any possible abrasive effect of the cementing material on the merit of the valve head and seat.

The upper end of the packer sleeve is connected with suitable means for expanding and contracting the packer sleeve in operation, and such means preferably comprise a screw jack including a collar or packer follower l5 having the flange l6 and ribs I! for tightly gripping and engaging the rubber sleeve 7. This packer collar or follower [5 is connected as by screw threads to an operating member, preferably in the form of a sleeve 18 telescoped over the induction tube 2 so that it provides the outer wall of the assembled grouting plug. This outer sleeve I8 is preferably provided with a key-way engagement l9 with the induction tube 2, which permits of relative longitudinal movement between the sleeve I8 and the induction tube .2, but looks said elements against relative rotation.

To the upper end of the packer operating sleeve l8 there is attached, as' by welding, a collar 29, to which there is welded a laterally extending handle 29, and which collar terminates in a box 2|, which receives the nut or hub 22 of an operating handle oriwheel 23. The hub or nut 22 of said operating wheel 23 is provided with a screwthreaded engagement 24 with the upper screwthreaded end of the induction tube 2. There is also provided a groove in the nut 22 for holding a thrust collar 25 of bronze or other suitable bearing material, which engages a suitable shoulder 26 on the box 2| and provides a means for absorbing the longitudinal thrust during the relative rotation of the wheel 23 and handle 29 in the operations subsequently described of expanding and contracting thepacker 1. A retaining ring2l is set above the thrust member 25 and may be held in position by suitable means, such as set screws 28.

' Inthe operation of the grouting plug thus described the grouting plug in the position shown in Figure 1,-with the packer in the contracted position,'isfirst inserted'into a grouting hole bored in the tunnel lining, beyond which the grouting is to be conducted. The handle 29 is then gripped by the operator with one hand, while the operating wheel 23is gripped by the other hand of the operator, and a relative rotation of the wheel and handle 29 effected in order to bring together the respective collars l5 and 4 between which the sleeve packing member I is held. This causes the sleeve packing member 1 to be thrust outwardly or expanded into contact with The valve the walls of the grouting hole, and suificient pressure may be placed upon the packer member I to hold any desired pressure in operation. When a sufiicient pressure has been placed upon the sleeve packing member 1 to insure that the packer will hold in operation, a hose is connected to the collar 3 and cementing material, such as neat cement, pumped under pressure through the induction tube 2 and out by the valve head Ill. The passage of cement through the grouting plug is continued until it is assured that the cement has entered all of the cavities, porosities in the earth formation, cracks and crevices in the casing or lining of the tunnel, and preferably until a high back pressure of a considerable amount of cement is built up, such, for example,

as 1,000 pounds per square inch.

In this operation, the passage of cement is discontinued, the hose connected with the collar 3 disconnected, and the back pressure of the cement, together with the action of the spring i2,-causes the valve head I!) to close and seals the device against any return of cement. This permits an immediate cleaning out of the bore of the induction tube 2 from cement, so that the cement will not become hardened, filling the bore tube, and the grouting plug may then be left in position until the cement introduced back of the lining has had an opportunity to become properly hardened.

After the cement or cementing material has been suitably hardened, the grouting plug may then be withdrawn from the bore, and for this purpose the wheel 23 and handle 29 are gripped by the operators hands and relatively rotated to retract the packing sleeve 1 from its engagement with the bore in the lining, after which it is generally found that the grouting plug may be easily Withdrawn from the lining.

In case of any tendency for the grouting plug to stick, a jack may be placed between the handle 29 and the lining wall. In extreme cases, it is possible even to continue operation of the wheel 23 until the packing sleeve 1 has been ripped from position, and then retract from the hole the entire outer sleeve l8, which provides an axis for tools to tap or otherwise disengage the lower end of the grouting plug from the hardened cement. The grouting plug thus may be used over and over again in like operations.

In other cases, the grouting plug may be employed for various and sundry operations auxiliary to pumping the cement back of the formation. In certain cases, it may be desirable to omit the use of the valve head I0 and spider 8, in order to provide for circulation of fluids back of the tunnel wall. In certain cases, it may be desirable to install a plurality of these grouting plugs in the lining of the tunnel at difierent points and force circulating fluid through one or more of the plugs and out of the other grouting plugs in order to clean out the formation back of the tunnel lining preparatory to cementing or other operations.

While the grouting plug herein described is well adapted to accomplish various objects of the invention, it is, of course, to be understood that various modifications may be made in the details of the construction of the plug without departing from the principles of the present invention, and this invention includes all such modifications and changes as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1 A device for grouting cementing materials through grouting holes in linings, which device comprises a tube for introducing cementing materials to said grouting holes, a sleeve packer surrounding said tube for packing the tube to the hole near the end of said hole, one end of said packer being fixed to the lower end of said tube, a sleeve telescoped over said tube and fixed to the other end of said sleeve packer for actuating said packer movable relative to said tube, a screw jack for actuating said sleeve and tube, and a check valve near the end of said tube adapted to be closed by the back pressure of the grouting material.

2. A device for grouting cementing materials through grouting holes in linings such as tunnel linings, which comprises a tube to be inserted in said grouting hole to convey cementing materials therethrough, said tube carrying a sleeve packer near its end, said packer being expansible into packing engagement with said hole, one end of said packer being fixed to said tube, a sleeve telescoped over said tube and fixed to the other end of said packer for expanding the same in relatively longitudinal motion with respect tosaid tube, a screw jack for relatively actuating said tube and sleeve, and a check valve near the end of said tube adapted. to be closed by the back pressure of the grouting material.

3. A device for introducing grouting materials in grouting holes and linings and holding the same under pressure, which device comprises an induction tube adapted to extend into said grouting hole and carrying one end of a packer sleeve, a sleeve telescoped over said tube and longitudinally movable with respect to said tube, said sleeve engaging the other end of said packer sleeve for expanding and contracting the same into contact with the walls of said hole, and a check valve in said tube at the end thereof.

4. A device for introducing grouting materials in holes and linings and holding the same under pressure, which device comprises an induction tube adapted to extend into said bore and carrying one end of a packer sleeve, a sleeve telescoped over said tube and longitudinally movable with respect to said tube, the sleeve engaging the other end of said packer sleeve for expanding and contracting the same into contact with the walls of said hole, a check valve in said tube at the end thereof, and jack means for operating said relatively movable tube and sleeve.

5. A device for introducing grouting materials over said tube and longitudinally movable with respect to said tube, the sleeve engaging the other end of said packer sleeve for expanding and contracting the same into contact with the walls of said hole, a check valve in said tube at the end thereof, and a screw jack for actuating said relatively movable tube and sleeve.

6. A device for introducing grouting materials through holes and linings, which device comprises a tube to be inserted in said holes for conveying cementing materials therethrough, a check valve carried by said tube at its end and formed with smooth surface outer faces void of shoulders which might provide locking engagements with said cementing materials, a packer member carried by and attached to oneend of said tube adapted to be engaged and disengaged with said hole, a sleeve locked from rotatable motion with respect to said tube and telescoped over and longitudinally movable relative to said tube to actuate said packer, and a screw jack for relatively moving said sleeve and tube.

"I. A device for grouting through grouting holes and linings, comprising a tube having at one end a check valve and packer and provided at the other end with means for attachment to a cement-carrying conduit, a member adapted for relative longitudinal motion with respect to said tube for actuating said packer, a screw jack connected to said tube and member for operating the same, and a thrust bearing interposed between said screw jack and longitudinally movable memher.

8. A grouting plug comprising an induction tube having a collar at one end carrying a check valve and attached to one end of a sleeve packer,

an actuating sleeve for said packer carrying the other end thereof and telescoped over said tube, such sleeve carrying at its opposite end a handle and having a key-way engagement with said tube, which prevents relative rotation therebetween, a screw jack threaded to said tube and engaging a thrust bearing carried by said sleeve for relatively operating the sleeve and tube, said screw jack providing an operating handle.

ERLE P. HALLIBURTON. 

